Independent journalism is the backbone of every functioning democracy. Yet for the countries of the Western Balkan, the free spaces for reporting have been shrinking. Journalists often find themselves in a hostile atmosphere, often labelled by as traitors of the nation or as foreign agents. Resilient independent media is a precondition for the rising threats of disinformation and fake news.

How do we tackle the current deficiencies of the media system and public sphere in the region? What concrete measures improve resilience of independent journalists?  

Daniela Apaydin, research associate at the IDM, spoke with Hana Ćopić from the cross-border journalism net ...